My 5 year old rottweiler has always suffered from colitis and after being spayed at 10 months became incontinent. Her colitis is more or less under control and we have learnt to live with her incontience.
About 6 weeks ago we noticed a bald patch on her side and it had red spots on the skin, she also had the spots around her shoulder area under the fur. When we asked on here people thought it may be ringworm so went to the vet the same night. Vet said it was not ringworm or mange and put her on Rilexine to try to get rid of it. After a week Tiegan was not any better so returned to vets where I was told to carry on with Rilexine and give Prednisolone (steroids). A fortnight later we returned to the vets but she was much better and so it was agreed to stay on the same tablets and return in a month.
Within a week we were back at the vets as Tiegan was becoming aggressive to the other dogs, drinking like a fish and panting like mad 24 hrs a day. Vet then cut the steroid dose in half and she calmed down. However within the week we were once again at the vets as she was itching like mad and licking and biting her skin 24 hours a day. She now has 3 bald patches!!! We were told to drop the Rilexine and use Synulox (1 tablet twice a day), the steroids are to be dropped altogether and she is to have Atarax instead (antihistimines - 1 tablet twice a day), Stronghold to be applied every fortnight and 3 primrose oil capsules a day.
In the first week of Sept the vet wants to do a biopsy but says it will just come back saying she is allergic to something, so I really don't see the point as I would have thought that obvious!!!
She is fed Nutro but the vet has a new on trial food coming in, in the next few weeks for dogs with skin and stomach problems by a good company, but it will all be in clear bags so that no-one knows what it is. Surely if we are trialing it we should at least get some info on it. I'm really not sure I want to trial a food when Tiegan is so unwell at present anyway, but on the other hand I have nothing to lose!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Is there anything else we could do, she is still biting like mad?????????????????
Tiegan is also on Incurin and Propalin for her incontienence!

All the other dogs have no problem with their skin.

I know skin problems can take ages to get on top of but I just feel so down for her at the moment. PLEASE HELP.

A friend's Dobe had a rash on her belly that kept getting worse an worse in spite of everything she and the vet did so they did an allergy test. It turns out she is very, very sensitive to flea bites and one bite can affect her whole body for weeks. She is now on regular stronghold (I think) treatment and it has calmed down almost immediately. No fleas have ever been found on her or the other dogs nor have the humans been suffering from unexplained bites so this was the last thing anyone expected

Christine

Nicolla I am surprised that your vet is reluctant to do a biopsy on the skin. With the mucky ears as well it could well be a yeast infection which would show up and has often been misdiagnosed as an allergy. Some dogs may become allergic to the yeasts so it's a vicious circle.
Your vet should have taken a skin scrape for analysis. It seems to be the long way round to be treating this symptomatically while the poor dog is uncomfortable to the degree you state.

Nicolla - just realised it's not the same dog with the bad ears!! ....Just me getting confused

Do hope you manage to get to the bottom of your bitches problems, it all sounds very similar to the problems that I have had with my castrated male. I would love to get to the bottom of what has happened to him, he after years of problems with his skin and coat he now is producing a smell that makes my other males think he is a bitch in season, which was threatening to cause trouble amongst my intact males. So I had to keep him in a seperate room or find an answer to his condition. After lots of tests including having to send samples to the USA we had not clear conclusion. So he was put on male hormone tables (steriods) to replace the those that he could not make for himself as he had no testicals. These worked, but the side effects were that they lowered his imunity and he started to suffer from all sorts of other problems so we had to take him off them. We are now, after 4 months, back to the problems with my intact dogs and the only thing I can do now is have them injected to curb their interest, not something I wish to do. Have asked several vets if this has been cause by relative early castration and most thought it had, one went as far as to say they were suprised that vets were not being sued for early spaying, but none were prepared to write their coments down for me, too non pc I expect.
Sorry to rant on, I have been collecting info on spayed animals but it is a very slow process and I don't think I will live to see any definate conclusion. In the mean time I just beg people not to castrate if they just want to stop breeding but have a vasecetomy instead. And to leave the spaying of bitches as long as possible. None of which will help you but I feel better having taken the opportunity once again to try and get my doubts across. Ja:)kie

Jackie H,
I had my dog castrated as I didn't want himto breed (also thought it might help him put on weightas he was very thin when I got him).It was only after he was done that I saw something saying dogs could have a vasectomy. Maybe I'm stupid but I hadn't known this. I take it that would have far less side effects than castration and should be used instead of castration. Is that correct?
Dot

Yes because you are not removing part of the dogs hormonal system, just cutting the tube that allow sperm to reach the outside world. The testicles along with the pituitary gland,thyroid,adrenal glands & pancreas form the dogs endocrine system. This is the system that helps keep the dog running properly, if you see what I mean. Some dogs seem to be fine without testicles or in the case of bitches the ovaries others I'm sure do not. Why vets do not suggest vasectomy to their clients I don't know, I belive we have at least one vet on this board perhaps they will give their opinion. Don't what ever you do feel quilty, it was not your place to know, you like I did what we thought best, but I would never do it again unless it was a matter of the dogs health. Jackie

Have either of you tired Homapathy vets for yeast and inmune system problems?

just a suggestion..

Worth looking at the diet closer for the rottie.

Pam

Can't talk for Dot, Pam, but Iv'e tried everything that anyone has ever suggested. It is not just skin although that was the first thing to be noticed. He is now coming up to 13 years and the problems seem to be becoming more frequent. Still whilst we can keep him happy we will carry on. Jackie

Nicolla,

I am currently going through a similiar problem with my GSD Nanouki. Two weeks after he was vaccinated in Feb. he developed a big lump overnight which then spread to all of his body and he went bald everywhere but on his back and sides. His itching was so bad he woke us up at night. He became aggressive from the steroids he was on as well and we had to wean him off them. He also drinks a lot and is very tired.

We have done skin scrapes and biopsies, allergy tests and elimination diets. There is a small possibility that he has mange (sarcoptic) but with six other dogs in the house and none of them showing any symptoms over 7 months we are doubtful.

Nanouki was on antibiotics and steroids for 4 months, and has had five stronghold treatments. I got frustrated after about 4 months and took him to a homeopathic vet. The homeopathic treatment and a change of diet to barf have helped him greatly. We still haven't gotten to the bottom of whatever is wrong with him , but he is much better.

I wish you luck with your girl, for the itching, I used a dilution of lavender and tea tree oil which helped Nanouki a lot.

Theresa

Have you tried "Fit and Fertile" a new conditioning powder that was developed for breeding stock but those using it have noticed huge improvement in skin and coat as well as general condition. Tel Jane Lilley (before 7pm) for their contact details: 01403 822222

Today I discovered a blad patch on my 5 yr old lab and a bald patch on my 8 mth old lab both on the hind leg. Have spoken to the vet on the phone who said use Stronghold.

If it were mange would it not have already spread to the other dogs (Tiegan the rotti has had bad skin for 6 weeks+). All the other 5 dogs seem fine.

What is the best way to go, the vets are getting on my nerves, they don't seem to know what it is. If it is mange I have a lab who is 4 wks in whelp, if she got it could she be treated?????????

This is really getting me down, any ideas?

A skin scrape should diagnose parasites, the vet will need to take several samples, and if possible from different sites if there are more than one area of skin affected, e.g. groin and elbow. With sarcoptic mange the results can be false negative which is why you need a good amount of samples.

With Nanouki, the vets suspected mange for ages, and said that the other dogs would not necessarily have caught it from him, something to do with the eggs of the parasites vs the paraites themselves, not too sure of the exact explanation

You could always go for a second opinion if your vets are getting you down

Good luck

Theresa

Hi Nicolla, have just found this thread please see the suggestions I have given Theresa for the links concerning itchy skin. You cannot stop giving steroids straight away it must be a gradual reducing dose until all tabs are gone. On the site for itchy skin they recommend a particular antihistamine so have a look and see what you think.
Christine2

Thanks Christine.
I spent an hour at the vets this morning, have more stronghold and antibiotics. I also insisted they do more, so they ripped some hairs out for the labs to check. Will get the results in 2 wks. The vet did check them for ringworm and that was negative but she did say they could still have it.
Have told them I am going to contact a homepathic vet and think I'll probably go back to the BARF diet. The dogs were so healthy on that.

Will let you know how we get on.

Ho Jackie, I`m listening & I would never do it again & am also passing on your advice for vasectomy :)
Christine2

Hi Nicolla

My Rotti will be 6 at the end of June and also suffers from skin problems. The patches appear mainly around his neck area and the vets are really unhelpful. The patches start of small and weepy and within a couple of days become much larger, very weepy and sore. We were given Hibiscrub to bath the sore areas and also some steroid cream. The steroid cream seemed to merely cover the sore and after a few days I threw it away because I didn't feel that this was helping, and am very doubtful that these steroid creams are any good for the dogs health, especially when you have to use gloves to apply. The leaflet also mentioned that this could lead to stomach problems.

Last year I was given Stronghold as the vet thinks that my Rotti is allergic to flea bites. The problem did not go away and if you look on the packaging, the Stronghold is only good for dogs up to a certain weight. My Rotti is larger than the max weight for Stronghold. I asked the vet for Frontline as this treatment covers the weight of Zac.

I was also given a shampoo called Malaseb (to be used twice weekly to begin with and then once a month). I was amazed by the results and all the patches cleared within weeks. It is only available on prescription in this country and is very expensive. £8.50 would only last for six washes for the size of Zac. You can, however, buy this online from USA by the galloon (around $140). I don't know whether duty would be payable. I havent yet made a purchase online as the problem tends to occur in spring summer months (which indicates the problem could arise from a flea bite as they are more active at this time of year).

We used the stronghold and Tiegan's skin cleared up. The vet said it must have been fox mange.
However none of the other dogs got it so I really don't know. I'm just glad it's cleared up.

Hi, glad to hear that your dogs skin has cleared up. I have had a similar problem with a Red Setter who are well known for having skin problems. Here are a few things that might help and some have said already as I'm pretty sure your problem will come back.

First I would definitely change the diet. Commercial dog foods are full of stuff that we know nothing about - you're lucky if the packet says meat and animal derivatives. What does that mean? Feed your dog natural foods so you know what your feeding them - minced meat, tripe, veg and raw bones (like the BARF diet). They will become healthier, happier and will produce less waste, it's helped my Setter enormously and will never go back to commercial stuff EVER!

Malaseb shampoo is very good as someone has already mentioned, not cheap but worth it for the relief it provides.

Don't give your dog anything with Tea Tree oil to try clear up infections. I am sure that it is dangerous to use on dogs. My husband is trained in aromatherapy and although he's not here to tell me why you shouldn't use it I think it has links to cancer in dogs... don't quote me, but I'm sure it's not safe to use.

Hope this helps and good luck.